Canning for Dance Marathon sent Eric Spindler to the hospital while trying to reach his partial collection deadline.

“I was attempting to go canning, and I had a freak canning accident,” said Spindler, a Weinberg junior. “On my way back into the car to go can at Old Orchard, I managed to slam my head into the car door and had to go to Searle (Student Health Service) and the hospital.”

No matter what the obstacle, dancers were asked to meet the 1 p.m. Thursday deadline to turn in $375 — half the money required to participate in DM.

Although they won’t know for three days, DM co-chairpersons Emily Wessel and Zack Hall are confident they are on track at the half-money deadline.

“We have six weeks left, and all our committees are very busy,” said Hall, a Communication senior. “All the events have been very successful so far.”

So far this month, DM has had club night Jan. 17 at Chicago’s White Star Lounge, 222 W. Ontario St., and a themed bar night Monday at The Keg of Evanston. Dancers dressed like rock stars at The Keg, 810 Grove St., to try to reduce the amount they are required to raise.

There are no consequences if dancers don’t raise the $375 — only a reminder that they did not meet the deadline.

Dancers must meet the final requirement of $750, or they risk losing their place, Hall said. There are currently about 100 people on the waiting list.

“They (dancers) will find out a week before DM,” Wessel said. “To get off the waiting list, it is determined by how much money you raise — not the order you sign up.”

“It’s kind of like their midterm,” said Wessel, a Weinberg senior. “The benefit is when all is said and done there are lots of prizes for people who raise the most money. In the end there is a correlation between money raised at the half deadline and their totals.”

DM finance committee co-chairwoman Anne Williamson said the lines to hand in money were long. She said she would be happy if the majority of dancers reach the half-way mark.

“I guess we could compare to last year, but there are so many different factors,” said Williamson, citing the group’s Fall Quarter beneficiary swap as a possible roadblock.

She said she doesn’t know if the late change will have an effect on the midterm totals, but said the group “will have to wait and see.”

“I have every confidence in the world that we will do well,” said Williamson, a Weinberg senior. “It just might take a little longer (this year).”

Some dancers are choosing not to face the dangers of canning.

“Hopefully I won’t have to go canning much,” said Marcy DelMonte, a Weinberg sophomore. “I met the half deadline just by sending letters to generous family and friends.”

She said she has been turned off by canning because of the cold weather and her experiences last year.

“Last year I went canning at a football game,” DelMonte said. “I didn’t know you weren’t allowed to can at tailgates and I went to some of them and lots of alumni wanted to know what was going on and they just pulled out money.

“I felt bad getting money from lots of drunk people.”

The Daily’s Torea Frey contributed to this report.